This, you must do! I bet you never knew how quickly and easily you can make your own fruit jams, preserves, compotes and fillings with mainly just fruit, sugar (sweetner) and lemon. I assure you that once you realize how much more flavorful - made to your tastes (less sugar, more fruit chunks) your own fresh-made fruit mixtures (conserves)will be ... what's that phrase among cooks, you will never do store-bought again!

Before I made my own quick jams, preserves and fillings, I always thought you had to do that whole canning thing (special pot, boiling water, pressure cooker, tongs, gloves), which is necessary for storing, mass production, consumer sales, you know, stuff like that. But, did you know that you can make just one small jar for this dish, this week, this fruit mixed with that, refrigerate, and maybe next week, try another fruit or fruit combination, different spices, herbs, cordials (cinnamon, hot pepper, mint, liqueurs, etc.); you know, play with flavor!

Quick Jams & Compote

For quick and easy compote for breakfast, think 2-3 cups of fruit to 1 cup of sugar (though, personally, I do much less sugar (1/2 to 3/4 cup) depending on the fruit's sweetness or sourness.

Basic Ingredients:

2-3 cups fresh fruit (diced, chunked or cut up however, preferred)

1/2 to 1 cup sugar (to your preference)

1 lemon OR orange zested and juiced (1/4 or more to taste, depending our sourness of fruit)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Quick Prep:

After cutting up the fruit, set aside 1/2 cup or so (leave uncooked)

Place all ingredients in a small sauce pan/pot (except the vanilla extract)

Bring to boil/bubbling (3-5 minutes)

Turn down and let simmer until fruit begins to break down (10 minutes or so)

Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract and add uncooked chunks of fruit

Let cool and serve (warm, hot or cold)

Note: Most preserve/canning recipes use pectin for gelling and thickness! I am happy with the natural thickening from the fruit itself (and from refrigeration), so I don't bother with it. A reminder that my quick and easy recipe is NOT for canning, but for more immediate consumption - today, this week!